Practical Nursing Mattershttps://practicalnursingmatters.wordpress.com
Conversations about health care, nursing and nurse educationFri, 22 Sep 2017 02:34:50 +0000enhourly1http://wordpress.com/https://secure.gravatar.com/blavatar/33791d2c600d2c4a8dad3a73388fc069?s=96&d=https%3A%2F%2Fs2.wp.com%2Fi%2Fbuttonw-com.pngPractical Nursing Mattershttps://practicalnursingmatters.wordpress.com
Simple Nursinghttps://practicalnursingmatters.wordpress.com/2014/04/26/simple-nursing/
https://practicalnursingmatters.wordpress.com/2014/04/26/simple-nursing/#respondSun, 27 Apr 2014 00:46:29 +0000http://practicalnursingmatters.wordpress.com/?p=272]]>Mike Linares is an RN who developed the site Simple Nursing where he shares numerous informative and entertaining videos on subjects of interest to nursing students. These could be of use to students as study tools or for instructors looking for resources to support their blended courses.

]]>https://practicalnursingmatters.wordpress.com/2014/04/26/simple-nursing/feed/0travellyfamily#Hashtags??!??https://practicalnursingmatters.wordpress.com/2014/04/22/hashtags/
https://practicalnursingmatters.wordpress.com/2014/04/22/hashtags/#respondWed, 23 Apr 2014 04:26:30 +0000http://practicalnursingmatters.wordpress.com/?p=265Continue reading →]]>In all of my recent learning about Social Media and the potential benefits of integrating its use into both health care and education I had not yet grasped the purpose of the hashtag. Some people seem to love them while others mock them but, whether I use hashtags or not, I do need to understand them. Their use is clearly summed up in The Beginner’s Guide to the Hashtag, “On Twitter, the pound sign (#) turns any word or group of words that directly follow it into a searchable link. This allows you to organize content and track discussion topics based on those keywords.” Clicking on a hashtag allows you to see all of the posts that mention the subject in real time.

There is no preset list of hashtags. If you want to use a specific hashtag you can search directory services like tagdef.com, twubs.com and hashtags.org to see if it is already being used. If not, just put the hash (#) before your word or series of words (no spaces or punctuation marks) and you will have created a brand new hashtag. There are many directories and compilations of hashtags with a specific focus. The Complete Guide to Twitter Hashtags for Education lists over 200 hashtags categorized into topics of interest to educators. 14 Twitter Hashtags for Nursing Students to Monitor shares several hashtags that could support students’ studies and broaden their understanding of the profession.

So, are hashtags just a fun and trendy thing to use or do they have a real purpose? Twitter is a busy place and hashtags are a way to aggregate tweets, categorizing messages with specific words or phrases. Anibel Paheco posted 7 Ideas for Using Hashtags in the Classroom including such suggestions as creating threads for class discussions and creating class messaging systems. For those planning to use Twitter as a teaching tool, the understanding and use of hashtags seems essential.

]]>https://practicalnursingmatters.wordpress.com/2014/04/22/hashtags/feed/0travellyfamilyHappy 6th Birthday, Twitter! - Photo by chingers7Interdisciplinary Teamworkhttps://practicalnursingmatters.wordpress.com/2014/04/13/interdisciplinary-teamwork/
https://practicalnursingmatters.wordpress.com/2014/04/13/interdisciplinary-teamwork/#respondSun, 13 Apr 2014 23:37:58 +0000http://practicalnursingmatters.wordpress.com/?p=237Continue reading →]]>Support for the utilization of interdisciplinary teams is frequent and vociferous, with many sources citing the advantages of such an approach. Even as collaborative teamwork was being pioneered during the first world war its efficiency was emphasized, specifically in regard to continuity of care (Cooter, 2004). This increased efficacy has been related to the pooling of diverse skills, knowledge and experience from member disciplines, maximizing available resources and enhancing creativity in problem solving. Patients report greater satisfaction with care and several studies show findings with a significant correlation between interdisciplinary care and both decreased mortality rates and increased quality of life (Kramer & Schmalenberg, 2003). Moreover, the literature suggests increased cost-effectiveness, most likely as a result of greater resource efficiency and a reduction in duplication or gaps in services (Leipzig et al, 2002). Another area in which interdisciplinary teams show clear advantages over a traditional approach to care delivery is that of work-life satisfaction. Professionals themselves often identify teamwork as a more gratifying way to practice (Kramer& Schmalenberg, 2003). Working in interdisciplinary teams increases professionals’ self-confidence and sense of worth and importance, qualities that are likely positively impacted by the increased mutual respect between team members and the understanding of the unique skills of each. Indeed, such an approach is said to lead to increased honesty and openness between involved professions, factors that may further enhance a sense of fulfillment. It is clear why an interdisciplinary, professional practice approach to care delivery is currently the model of choice in health care.]]>https://practicalnursingmatters.wordpress.com/2014/04/13/interdisciplinary-teamwork/feed/0travellyfamilyColor Hands - Photo by Alex Pascual GuardiaCulture and Griefhttps://practicalnursingmatters.wordpress.com/2014/04/04/culture-and-grief/
https://practicalnursingmatters.wordpress.com/2014/04/04/culture-and-grief/#respondFri, 04 Apr 2014 23:29:20 +0000http://practicalnursingmatters.wordpress.com/?p=198Continue reading →]]>As human beings, we are molded by a rich interplay between physical, psychological, sociological, behavioural and cultural experience. The impact of culture upon individual experience is of specific interest to nurses as societies become increasingly multicultural. Increases in worldwide mobility, ease of migration, and fertility rates all demand an expanded cultural awareness and the incorporation of transcultural health perspectives in clinical practice. One human experience that occurs universally throughout all cultures is grief.

As nurses attempting to provide culturally safe care to grieving clients we must remember the individualized nature of the grief experience and differences in its manifestations across cultural lines. Developing an understanding of culturally defined mourning rituals, traditions and behavioural expressions of grief also present an essential key, assisting us to move beyond Western assumptions of “normal” reactions or “healthy” ways of coping. With a deepened understanding through cultural assessments, knowledge and an openness to diversity we can move to incorporate cultural practices into our clients’ care. Furthermore, we can help our clients to understand the meaning of their loss, a task crucial to working through grief. As with the overall experience of grief, loss carries with it different meanings from person to person and culture to culture.

]]>https://practicalnursingmatters.wordpress.com/2014/04/04/culture-and-grief/feed/0travellyfamilyPhoto by Vinod VelayudhanHealth and Wellness Wikihttps://practicalnursingmatters.wordpress.com/2014/03/26/health-and-wellness-wiki/
https://practicalnursingmatters.wordpress.com/2014/03/26/health-and-wellness-wiki/#commentsWed, 26 Mar 2014 22:21:37 +0000http://practicalnursingmatters.wordpress.com/?p=169]]>For those seeking information about health and wellness, HLWIKI International is a treasure trove of information. This is an open, free-to-use global encyclopedia with 10 portals on health librarianship, social media and a range of information technology topics curated by a team of international health librarians. One could easily get lost here!]]>https://practicalnursingmatters.wordpress.com/2014/03/26/health-and-wellness-wiki/feed/1travellyfamilyCaduceus Grunge Symbol - Photo by Nicolas RaymondNursing Tweetshttps://practicalnursingmatters.wordpress.com/2014/03/26/nursing-tweets/
https://practicalnursingmatters.wordpress.com/2014/03/26/nursing-tweets/#respondWed, 26 Mar 2014 22:07:56 +0000http://practicalnursingmatters.wordpress.com/?p=167]]>There are many individuals and groups Tweeting about nursing and health care. Often current, relevant links to news pieces, practice tips and research are disseminated. Here are just a few:

]]>https://practicalnursingmatters.wordpress.com/2014/03/26/nursing-tweets/feed/0travellyfamilyBlue Sky Twitter - Photo by mkhmarketingNursing Skillshttps://practicalnursingmatters.wordpress.com/2014/03/26/nursing-skills/
https://practicalnursingmatters.wordpress.com/2014/03/26/nursing-skills/#respondWed, 26 Mar 2014 19:08:29 +0000http://practicalnursingmatters.wordpress.com/?p=162Continue reading →]]>Watching review videos can help to increase nursing students’ confidence and competence in performing nursing skills independently. Some students like to watch videos prior to coming to the class where the skill will be taught, others use them as a guide when practicing after class. There are many free videos available online and students should be aware of potential differences in supplies used as well as policy and procedure followed. If in doubt, students should always check with their instructor to ensure that they are practicing in a manner supported by recent, reliable research. Hawknurse on Youtube offers a series of videos prepared by a nursing instructor from Delaware, USA. The University of Manitoba also has a wide range of skills videos with the benefit of a Canadian perspective; Year 1 and Year 2.]]>https://practicalnursingmatters.wordpress.com/2014/03/26/nursing-skills/feed/0travellyfamilyUSF Nursing SIM - Photo by ShawnTwitter and Health 2.0https://practicalnursingmatters.wordpress.com/2014/03/26/twitter-and-health-2-0/
https://practicalnursingmatters.wordpress.com/2014/03/26/twitter-and-health-2-0/#commentsWed, 26 Mar 2014 18:15:16 +0000http://practicalnursingmatters.wordpress.com/?p=154]]>I’m still not sure if I see myself using Twitter when I’m teaching but I was interested by it’s potential in the health care field. This site gives a good review of ways Twitter could be used.]]>https://practicalnursingmatters.wordpress.com/2014/03/26/twitter-and-health-2-0/feed/1travellyfamilyTwittering Tweets Murual - Photo by Cobalt123Game-based Learning in Nurse Educationhttps://practicalnursingmatters.wordpress.com/2014/03/18/game-based-learning-in-nursing-education/
https://practicalnursingmatters.wordpress.com/2014/03/18/game-based-learning-in-nursing-education/#respondWed, 19 Mar 2014 04:57:01 +0000http://practicalnursingmatters.wordpress.com/?p=124Continue reading →]]>Although the current body of research about the effectiveness of game-based learning in nursing education is limited, anecdotal evidence as well as research from other disciplines point to gaming as a positive strategy for learning. As Stokowski (2013) remarked, “Collaboration, communication and clinical reasoning requires practice in many different situations, complex and stressful environments, and fast-paced clinical events. The flexibility, variety, and multitude of outcomes offered by games are uniquely able to provide such practice without any risk to patients (p. 7)”.

Clearly practicing nursing skills and clinical judgement though gaming cannot substitute working with real people in real situations. However, it seems that when used as a compliment to classroom, laboratory, and clinical learning, gaming has the potential to increase knowledge, critical thinking, and behaviour acquisition.

One game that I’ve used with great success is The Blood Typing Game found at Nobelprize.org. This game helps students understand the concept of blood typing and the importance of compatibility in blood transfusions.

]]>https://practicalnursingmatters.wordpress.com/2014/03/18/game-based-learning-in-nursing-education/feed/0travellyfamilyNobel Prize Blood Typing Game - Photo by Nobel MediaSocial Medicinehttps://practicalnursingmatters.wordpress.com/2014/03/17/118/
https://practicalnursingmatters.wordpress.com/2014/03/17/118/#respondTue, 18 Mar 2014 04:41:05 +0000http://practicalnursingmatters.wordpress.com/?p=118Continue reading →]]>‘White Coat Black Art’ is a radio documentary series on CBC Radio One that examines the business and culture of medicine. In 2010, host Dr. Brian Goldman explored the subject of Social Medicine. There is much debate among healthcare professionals about connecting with patients through social media. While there is the risk of serious consequences, many are using social networking to reach out to patients while maintaining ethical boundaries. This documentary explores the benefits and pitfalls of using social media as a tool to bridge the divide between professionals and patients.]]>https://practicalnursingmatters.wordpress.com/2014/03/17/118/feed/0travellyfamilySocial Media Apps - Photo by Jason Howie